The Student Printz

Issue date: 2/14/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Sebe Dale IV Danielle Cook a graduate student from Bellingham, Mass. and the winner of the condom fashion show, receives final preparations from her friends before going on stage in the Union Tuesday evening.

Media Credit: Sebe Dale IV Glenn Duggin, a senior sociology major from Mobile, Ala., blows up a condom as fast as he can at the condom fashion show Tuesday evening in the Union. Several volunteers were asked to come to the stage to see who could inflate the biggest condom without breaking it.

Despite bad weather, Southern Miss students celebrated sexual awareness Tuesday night in the R.C. Cook Union lobby by participating in a condom fashion show.

The unusual garments, which were mostly made of expired condoms, drew quite a crowd. Students and faculty alike came to support the parade of prophylactics.

Jodi Tate, health promotions coordinator for Student Health Services, was pleased with the showing.

"Of course, I would always like to have as many people as possible, but I think we had a good turnout for the first time we've held this event and with the rain," she said.

Student Health Services decided to hold the
fashion show after staff there found information about other shows online.

"We thought it would be a great event to have a sexual health program with," said Tate.

Rachel Shannon, a senior interior design major and condom model, agreed.

"We have an organization called the American Society of Interior Designers," Shannon explained. "We like to do a lot of service projects here on campus, and we thought this one would be a great one to get involved with."

"This is such a great way to go about [promoting sexual awareness]," Shannon said. "Hopefully it will get people interested in using protection."

Entries came from several different groups on campus, including VOX, the Gay Straight
Alliance and the athletics department.

Possible winning categories included Best Overall, Most Colorful, Most Creative, and Most Protected.

"We're going for most protected," said Gay Straight Alliance member and senior public relations major Anna Davis. "We have 646 condoms on this dress."

Gay Straight Alliance model and anthropology graduate student Danielle Cook received the title of Best Overall instead.

After, accepting her bag of
chocolate kisses (all winners received one), Cook expressed her excitement.

"It feels great winning. It's very unexpected," Cook said. "I couldn't have done it without the people of GSA. They really helped."

Tate hopes that the Student Health Services will be able to have another show next year, as a permanent event for National Condom Week.

"If we have a traditional event that people anticipate, I think the turn out will increase," explained Tate. "It's a fun way to get an important message to students. Health education should be fun and I think this show entertained."

Student response seems to be positive.
"[The fashion show] was very enjoyable," said Rex McAllister, a political science graduate student. "I believe the buzz of the event will definitely make its way across campus."

Glenn Duggin, a senior sociology major from Mobile, Ala blows up a condom as fast as he can at the condom fassion show Tuesday evening in the Union. Several volenteers were asked to come to the stage to see who could inflate the biggest condom with out breaking it.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools